Students, parents protest Heritage band director's leave

More than two dozen students, parents and teachers lined East Fourth Street on Wednesday to support Heritage High School band director Dwight Asberry, who was placed on paid administrative leave last week. The district's union rep says Asberry still doesn't know why administrators are investigating him.
— Jeff Sanders | U-T Californian

More than two dozen students, parents and teachers lined East Fourth Street on Wednesday to support Heritage High School band director Dwight Asberry, who was placed on paid administrative leave last week. The district's union rep says Asberry still doesn't know why administrators are investigating him.
/ Jeff Sanders | U-T Californian

PERRIS  Upset and looking for answers after district officials placed Heritage High School's band director on paid administrative leave during an investigation into undisclosed complaints, more than two dozen students, parents and teachers lined East Fourth Street with a number of signs before a school board meeting this week to support the 51-year-old teacher.

Perris Union High School District Superintendent Jonathan Greenberg said police are not involved, but he declined to reveal the nature and origin of complaints that likely will leave Heritage’s band program without director Dwight Asberry for the rest of the school year.

“This has been simmering for quite a while,” said Greenberg, noting he is not permitted to discuss personnel matters. “Most recently we had someone come forward last week.”

Support for Asberry was in full force Wednesday outside the district office, where students, parents and teachers implored passing cars to honk and later packed the board meeting room. More than a half dozen addressed the governing board, asking district officials to explain both the investigation and Asberry's removal during a class last week.

To date, Asberry's questions have not been answered, said Perris Secondary Educators Association President Paul Clay, whom Asberry has appointed to speak on his behalf.

“We don’t know what the charges are, essentially,” Clay said. “We don’t know what the complaint is. We don’t know what the issue is. It’s been a week and they still haven’t told him.”

Clay, however, said he suspects Asberry’s leave stems from a complaint that was filed April 7 with the state Department of Fair Employment and Housing. The band director, who is black, alleged in the complaint that race and age discrimination fueled numerous charges against the band director over the last few years, Clay said.

Among the charges that Clay said the tenured teacher has successfully challenged over the years were leaving students alone after late practices and mishandling band program money.

Asberry asked the district for his personnel file April 8, according to Clay.

Two days later, he was informed of an investigation and removed from his classroom in front of students.

“This stinks of retribution,” Clay said.

He added: “He wants to know what this is about. We’re concerned about due process rights. Especially if there is any criminal implication, he is being denied the opportunity to provide himself with proper legal counsel.”

The nature of Asberry’s removal was especially upsetting to students, parents and local community members, who said they were left without answers after a meeting with district officials last week.

“Today, I’m so disappointed to hear how you did him,” said Jackie McDonald, a community member on the district’s feasibility committee. “You should not have done that in front of students. … I’m just pissed at you all.”

The district’s actions have “left the students confused, suspicious and antagonistic toward each other,” said band parent Diana Lopez.

During Asberry’s absence, math teacher Charles Adams -- who holds a music minor, according to Greenberg -- has taken over the program, which is preparing for a second competition this weekend.

Several students missed Wednesday’s practice to participate in the show of support for Asberry, including sophomore Mosin Khan. A rally also was held at the school earlier in the week.

“He’s always been encouraging and wanted to do what’s right for us,” Khan said. “We just want justice for him. We don’t like what the district is doing to him right now, ... We think they are unfairly treating him.”